40 CFR Part 264 -- STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES

§264.573 Design and operating requirements.

(a) Drip pads must: (1) Be constructed of non-earthern materials, wood and non-structurally supported asphalt:

(2) Be sloped to free-drain treated wood drippage, rain and other waters, or solutions of drippage and water or other wastes to the associated collection system;

(3) Have a curb or berm around the perimeter;

(4) Be impermeable, e.g., concrete pads must be sealed, coated, or covered with an impermeable material such that the entire surface where drippage occurs or may run across is capable of containing such drippage and mixtures of drippage and precipitation, materials, or other wastes while being routed to an associated collection system.

Note: The requirement that existing drip pads be impermeable, e.g., that drip pads be sealed, coated, or covered, with an impermeable material is administratively stayed. The stay will remain in effect until October 30, 1992.

(5) Be of sufficient structural strength and thickness to prevent failure due to physical contact, climatic conditions, the stress of daily perations, e.g., variable and moving loads such as vehicle traffic, movement of wood, etc.

Note: EPA will generally consider applicable standards established by professional organizations generally recognized by the industry such as the American Concrete Institute (ACI) or the American of Testing and Materials (ASTM) in judging the structural integrity requirement of this paragraph.

(b) A new drip pad or an existing drip pad, after the deadline established in §264.571(b) of this subpart, must have:

(1) A synthetic liner installed below the drip pad that is designed, constructed, and installed to prevent leakage from the drip pad into the adjacent subsurface soil or groundwater or surface water at any time during the active life (including the closure period) of the drip pad. The liner must be constructed of materials that will prevent waste from being absorbed into the liner and to prevent releases into the adjacent subsurface soil or groundwater or surface water during the active life of the facility. The liner must be:

(i) Constructed of materials that have appropriate chemical properties and sufficient strength and thickness to prevent failure due to pressure gradients (including static head and external hydrogeologic forces), physical contact with the waste or drip pad leakage to which they are exposed, climatic conditions, the stress of installation, and the stress of daily operation (including stresses from vehicular traffic on the drip pad);

(ii) Placed upon a foundation or base capable of providing support the liner and resistance to pressure gradients above and below the liner to prevent failure of the liner due to settlement, compression or uplift; and

(iii) Installed to cover all surrounding earth that could come in contact with the waste or leakage; and

(2) A leakage detection system immediately above the liner that is designed, constructed, maintained and operated to detect leakage from the drip pad. The leakage detection system must be:

(i) Constructed of materials that are:

(A) Chemically resistant to the waste managed in the drip pad and the leakage that might be generated; and

(B) Of sufficient strength and thickness to prevent collapse under the pressures exerted by overlaying materials and by any equipment used at the drip pad;

(ii) Designed and operated to function without clogging through the scheduled closure of the drip pad; and

(iii) Designed so that it will detect the failure of the drip pad or the presence of a release of hazardous waste or accumulated liquid at the earliest practicable time.

(c) Drip pads must be maintained such that they remain free of cracks, gaps, corrosion, or other deterioration that could cause hazardous waste to be released from the drip pad.

Note: See §264.573(m) for remedial action required if deterioration or leakage is detected.

(d) The drip pad and associated collection system must be designed and operated to convey, drain, and collect liquid resulting from drippage or precipitation in order to prevent run-off.

(e) Unless protected by a structure, as described in §264.570(b) of this subpart, the owner or operator must design, construct, operate and maintain a run-on control system capable of preventing flow onto the drip pad during peak discharge from at least a 24-hour, 25-year storm, unless the system has sufficient excess capacity to contain any run-off that might enter the system.

(f) Unless protected by a structure or cover as described in §264.570(b) of this subpart, the owner or operator must design, construct, operate and maintain a run-off management system to collect and control at least the water volume resulting from a 24-hour, 25-year storm.

(g) The drip pad must be evaluated to determine that it meets the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (f) of this section and the owner or operator must obtain a statement from an independent, qualified registered professional engineer certifying that the drip pad design meets the requirements of this section.

(h) Drippage and accumulated precipitation must be removed from the associated collection system as necessary to prevent overflow onto the drip pad.

(i) The drip pad surface must be cleaned thoroughly at least once every seven days such that accumulated residues of hazardous waste or other materials are removed, using an appropriate and effective cleaning technique, including but not limited to, rinsing, washing with detergents or other appropriate solvents, or steam cleaning. The owner or operator must document the date and time of each cleaning and the cleaning procedure used in the facility's operating log.

(j) Drip pads must be operated and maintained in a manner to minimize tracking of hazardous waste or hazardous waste constituents off the drip pad as a result of activities by personnel or equipment.

(k) After being removed from the treatment vessel, treated wood from pressure and non-pressure processes must be held on the drip pad until drippage has ceased. The owner or operator must maintain records sufficient to document that all treated wood is held on the pad following treatment in accordance with this requirement.

(l) Collection and holding units associated with run-on and run-off control systems must be emptied or otherwise managed as soon as possible after storms to maintain design capacity of the system.

(m) Throughout the active life of the drip pad and as specified in the permit, if the owner or operator detects a condition that may have caused or has caused a release of hazardous waste, the condition must be repaired within a reasonably prompt period of time following discovery, in accordance with the following procedures:

(1) Upon detection of a condition that may have caused or has caused a release of hazardous waste (e.g., upon detection of leakage in the leak detection system), the owner or operator must:

(i) Enter a record of the discovery in the facility operating log;

(ii) Immediately remove the portion of the drip pad affected by the condition from service;

(iii) Determine what steps must be taken to repair the drip pad and clean up any leakage from below the drip pad, and establish a schedule for accomplishing the repairs;

(iv) Within 24 hours after discovery of the condition, notify the Regional Administrator of the condition and, within 10 working days, provide written notice to the Regional Administrator with a description of the steps that will be taken to repair the drip pad and clean up any leakage, and the schedule for accomplishing this work.

(2) The Regional Administrator will review the information submitted, make a determination regarding whether the pad must be removed from service completely or partially until repairs and clean up are complete and notify the owner or operator of the determination and the underlying rationale in writing.

(3) Upon completing all repairs and clean up, the owner or operator must notify the Regional Administrator in writing and provide a certification signed by an independent, qualified registered professional engineer, that the repairs and clean up have been completed according to the written plan submitted in accordance with paragraph (m)(1)(iv) of this section.

(n) Should a permit be necessary, the Regional Administrator will specify in the permit all design and operating practices that are necessary to ensure that the requirements of this section are satisfied.

(o) The owner or operator must maintain, as part of the facility operating log, documentation of past operating and waste handling practices. This must include identification of preservative formulations used in the past, a description of drippage management practices, and a description of treated wood storage and handling practices.

(45 FR 33221, May 19, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 5861, Feb. 18, 1992)


§264.574 Inspections.

(a) During construction or installation, liners and cover systems (e.g., membranes, sheets, or coatings) must be inspected for uniformity, damage and imperfections (e.g., holes, cracks, thin spots, or foreign materials). Immediately after construction or installation, liners must be inspected and certified as meeting the requirements of §264.573 of this subpart by an independent qualified, registered professional engineer. This certification must be maintained at the facility as part of the facility operating record. After installation, liners and covers must be inspected to ensure tight seams and joints and the absence of tears, punctures, or blisters.

(b) While a drip pad is in operation, it must be inspected weekly and after storms to detect evidence of any of the following:

(1) Deterioration, malfunctions or improper operation of run-on and run-off control systems;

(2) The presence of leakage in and proper functioning of leak detection system.

(3) Deterioration or cracking of the drip pad surface.

Note: See §264.573(m) for remedial action required if deterioration or leakage is detected.


§264.575 Closure.

(a) At closure, the owner or operator must remove or decontaminate all waste residues, contaminated containment system components (pad, liners, etc.), contaminated subsoils, and structures and equipment contaminated with waste and leakage, and manage them as hazardous waste.

(b) If, after removing or decontaminating all residues and making all reasonable efforts to effect removal or decontamination of contaminated components, subsoils, structures, and equipment as required in paragraph (a) of this section, the owner or operator finds that not all contaminated subsoils can be practicably removed or decontaminated, he must close the facility and perform post-closure care in accordance with closure and post-closure care requirements that apply to landfills (§264.310). For permitted units, the requirement to have a permit continues throughout the post-closure period. In addition, for the purpose of closure, post-closure, and financial responsibility, such a drip pad is then considered to be landfill, and the owner or operator must meet all of the requirements for landfills specified in subparts G and H of this part.

(c)(1) The owner or operator of an existing drip pad, as defined in §264.570 of this subpart, that does not comply with the liner requirements of v264.573(b)(1) must:

(i) Include in the closure plan for the drip pad under v264.112 both a plan for complying with paragraph (a) of this section and a contingent plan for complying with paragraph (b) of this section in case not all contaminated subsoils can be practicably removed at closure; and

(ii) Prepare a contingent post-closure plan under §264.118 of this part for complying with paragraph (b) of this section in case not all contaminated subsoils can be practicably removed at closure.

(2) The cost estimates calculated under §§264.112 and 264.144 of this part for closure and post-closure care of a drip pad subject to this paragraph must include the cost of complying with the contingent closure plan and the contingent post-closure plan, but are not required to include the cost of expected closure under paragraph (a) of this section.


Subpart X -- Miscellaneous Units

§264.600 Applicability.

The requirements in this subpart apply to owners and operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste in miscellaneous units, except as §264.1 provide otherwise.


§264.601 Environmental performance standards.

A miscellaneous unit must be located, designed, constructed, operated, maintained, and closed in a manner that will ensure protection of human health and the environment. Permits for miscellaneous units are to contain such terms and provisions as necessary to protect human health and the environment, including, but not limited to, as appropriate, design and operating requirements, detection and monitoring requirements, and requirements for responses to releases of hazardous waste or hazardous constituents from the unit. Permit terms and provisions shall include those requirements of subparts I through O of this part, Part 270, and Part 146 that are appropriate for the miscellaneous unit being permitted. Protection of human health and the environment includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Prevention of any releases that may have adverse effects on human heath or the environment due to migration of waste constituents in the ground water or subsurface environment, considering:

(1) The volume and physical and chemical characteristics of the waste in the unit, including its potential for migration through soil, liners, or other containing structures;

(2) The hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the unit and the surrounding area;

(3) The existing quality of ground water, including other sources of contamination and their cumulative impact on the ground water;

(4) The quantity and direction of ground-water flow;

(5) The proximity to and withdrawal rates of current and potential ground-water users;

(6) The patterns of land use in the region;

(7) The potential for deposition or migration of waste constituents into subsurface physical structures, and into the root zone of food-chain crops and other vegetation;

(8) The potential for health risks caused by human exposure to waste constituents; and

(9) The potential for damage to domestic animals, wildlife, crops, vegetation, and physical structures caused by exposure to waste constituents;

(b) Prevention of any releases that may have adverse effects on human health or the environment due to migration of waste constituents in surface water, or wetlands or on the soil surface considering:

(1) The volume and physical and chemical characteristics of the waste in the unit;

(2) The effectiveness and reliability of containing, confining, and collecting systems and structures in preventing migration;

(3) The hydrologic characteristics of the unit and the surrounding area, including the topography of the land around the unit;

(4) The patterns of precipitation in the region;

(5) The quantity, quality, and direction of ground-water flow;

(6) The proximity of the unit to surface waters;

(7) The current and potential uses of nearby surface waters and any water quality standards established for those surface waters;

(8) The existing quality of surface waters and surface soils, including other sources of contamination and their cumulative impact on surface waters and surface soils;

(9) The patterns of land use in the region;

(10) The potential for health risks caused by human exposure to waste constituents; and

(11) The potential for damage to domestic animals, wildlife, crops, vegetation, and physical structures caused by exposure to waste constituents.

(c) Prevention of any release that may have adverse effects on human health or the environment due to migration of waste constituents in the air, considering:

(1) The volume and physical and chemical characteristics of the waste in the unit, including its potential for the emission and dispersal of gases, aerosols and particulates;

(2) The effectiveness and reliability of systems and structures to reduce or prevent emissions of hazardous constituents to the air;

(3) The operating characteristics of the unit;

(4) The atmospheric, metorologic, and topographic characteristics of the unit and the surrounding area;

(5) The existing quality of the air, including other sources of contamination and their cumulative impact on the air;

(6) The potential for health risks caused by human exposure to waste constituents; and

(7) The potential for damage to domestic animals, wildlife, crops, and physical structures caused by exposure to waste constituents.


§264.602 Monitoring, analysis, inspection, response, reporting, and corrective action.

Monitoring, testing, analytical data, inspections, response, and reporting procedures and frequencies must ensure compliance with §§264.601, 264.15, 264.33, 264.75, 264.76, 264,77, and 264.101 as well as meet any additional requirements needed to protect human health and the environment as specified in the permit.


§264.603 Post-closure care.

A miscellaneous unit that is a disposal unit must be maintained in a manner that complies with §264.601 during the post-closure care period. In addition, if a treatment or storage unit has contaminated soils or ground water that cannot be completely removed or decontaminated during closure, then that unit must also meet the requirements of §264.601 during post-closure care. The post-closure plan under §264.118 must specify the procedures that will be used to satisfy this requirement.


Subpart AA -- Air Emission Standards for Process Vents

§264.1030 Applicability.

(a) The regulations in this subpart apply to owners and operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes (except as provided in §264.1).

(b) Except for §264.1034(d) and (e), this subpart applies to process vents associated with distillation, fractionation, thin-film evaporation, solvent extraction, or air or steam stripping operations that manage hazardous wastes with organic concentrations of at least 10-ppmw, if these operations are conducted in:

(1) Units that are subject to the permitting requirements of Part 270, or

(2) Hazardous waste recycling units that are located on hazardous waste management facilities otherwise subject to the permitting requirements of Part 270.

(c) If the owner or operator of process vents subject to the requirements of §§264.1032 through 264.1036 has received a permit under section 3005 of RCRA prior to December 21, 1990 the requirements of §§264.1032 through 264.1036 must be incorporated when the permit is reissued under §124.15 or reviewed under §270.50. (Note: The requirements of §§264.1032 through 264.1036 apply to process vents on hazardous waste recycling units previously exempt under §261.6(c)(1). Other exemptions under §§261.4, 262.34, and 264.1(g) are not affected by these requirements.)

(55 FR 25494, June 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 19290, Apr. 26, 1991)


§264.1031 Definitions.

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Act and Parts 260-266.

Air stripping operation is a desorption operation employed to transfer one or more volatile components from a liquid mixture into a gas (air) either with or without the application of heat to the liquid. Packed towers, spray towers, and bubble-cap, sieve, or valve-type plate towers are among the process configurations used for contacting the air and a liquid.

Bottoms receiver means a container or tank used to receive and collect the heavier bottoms fractions of the distillation feed stream that remain in the liquid phase.

Closed-vent system means a system that is not open to the atmosphere and that is composed of piping, connections, and, if necessary, flow-inducing devices that transport gas or vapor from a piece or pieces of equipment to a control device.

Condenser means a heat-transfer device that reduces a thermodynamic fluid from its vapor phase to its liquid phase.

Connector means flanged, screwed, welded, or other joined fittings used to connect two pipelines or a pipeline and a piece of equipment. For the purposes of reporting and recordkeeping, connector means flanged fittings that are not covered by insulation or other materials that prevent location of the fittings.

Continuous recorder means a data-recording device recording an instantaneous data value at least once every 15 minutes.

Control device means an enclosed combustion device, vapor recovery system, or flare. Any device the primary function of which is the recovery or capture of solvents or other organics for use, reuse, or sale (e.g., a primary condenser on a solvent recovery unit) is not a control device.

Control device shutdown means the cessation of operation of a control device for any purpose.

Distillate receiver means a container or tank used to receive and collect liquid material (condensed) from the overhead condenser of a distillation unit and from which the condensed liquid is pumped to larger storage tanks or other process units.

Distillation operation means an operation, either batch or continuous, separating one or more feed stream(s) into two or more exit streams, each exit stream having component concentrations different from those in the feed stream(s). The separation is achieved by the redistribution of the components between the liquid and vapor phase as they approach equilibrium within the distillation unit.

Double block and bleed system means two block valves connected in series with a bleed valve or line that can vent the line between the two block valves.

Equipment means each valve, pump, compressor, pressure relief device, sampling connection system, open-ended valve or line, or flange, and any control devices or systems required by this subpart.

Flame zone means the portion of the combustion chamber in a boiler occupied by the flame envelope.

Flow indicator means a device that indicates whether gas flow is present in a vent stream.

First attempt at repair means to take rapid action for the purpose of stopping or reducing leakage of organic material to the atmosphere using best practices.

Fractionation operation means a distillation operation or method used to separate a mixture of several volatile components of different points in successive stages, each stage removing from the mixture some proportion of one of the components.

Hazardous waste management unit shutdown means a work practice or operational procedure that stops operation of a hazardous waste management unit or part of a hazardous waste management unit. An unscheduled work practice or operational procedure that stops operation of a hazardous waste management unit or part of a hazardous waste management unit for less than 24 hours is not a hazardous waste management unit shutdown. The use of spare equipment and technically feasible bypassing of equipment without stopping operation are not hazardous waste management unit shutdowns.

Hot well means a container for collecting condensate as in a steam condenser serving a vacuum-jet or steam-jet ejector.

In gas/vapor service means that the piece of equipment contains or contacts a hazardous waste stream that is in the gaseous state at operating conditions.

In heavy liquid service means that the piece of equipment is not in gas/vapor service or in light liquid service.

In light liquid service means that the piece of equipment contains or contacts a waste stream where the vapor pressure of one or more of the components in the stream is greater than 0.3 kilopascals (kPa) at 20 C, the total concentration of the pure components having a vapor pressure greater than 0.3 kPa at 20 C is equal to or greater than 20 percent by weight, and the fluid is a liquid at operating conditions.

In situ sampling systems means nonextractive samplers or in-line samplers.

In vacuum service means that equipment is operating at an internal pressure that is at least 5 kPa below ambient pressure.

Malfunction means any sudden failure of a control device or a hazardous waste management unit or failure of a hazardous waste management unit to operate in a normal or usual manner, so that organic emissions are increased.

Open-ended valve or line means any valve, except pressure relief valves, having one side of the valve seat in contact with process fluid and one side open to the atmosphere, either directly or through open piping.

Pressure release means the emission of materials resulting from the system pressure being greater than the set pressure of the pressure relief device.

Process heater means a device that transfers heat liberated by burning fuel to fluids contained in tubes, including all fluids except water that are heated to produce steam.

Process vent means any open-ended pipe or stack that is vented to the atmosphere either directly, through a vacuum-producing system, or through a tank (e.g., distillate receiver, condenser, bottoms receiver, surge control tank, separator tank, or hot well) associated with hazardous waste distillation, fractionation, thin-film evaporation, solvent extraction, or air or steam stripping operations.

Repaired means that equipment is adjusted, or otherwise altered, to eliminate a leak.

Sensor means a device that measures a physical quantity or the change in a physical quantity, such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, pH, or liquid level.

Separator tank means a device used for separation of two immiscible liquids.

Solvent extraction operation means an operation or method of separation in which a solid or solution is contacted with a liquid solvent (the two being mutually insoluble) to preferentially dissolve and transfer one or more components into the solvent.

Startup means the setting in operation of a hazardous waste management unit or control device for any purpose.

Steam stripping operation means a distillation operation in which vaporization of the volatile constituents of a liquid mixture takes place by the introduction of steam directly into the charge.

Surge control tank means a large-sized pipe or storage reservoir sufficient to contain the surging liquid discharge of the process tank to which it is connected.

Thin-film evaporation operation means a distillation operation that employs a heating surface consisting of a large diameter tube that may be either straight or tapered, horizontal or vertical. Liquid is spread on the tube wall by a rotating assembly of blades that maintain a close clearance from the wall or actually ride on the film of liquid on the wall.

Vapor incinerator means any enclosed combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds and does not extract energy in the form of steam or process heat.

Vented means discharged through an opening, typically an open-ended pipe or stack, allowing the passage of a stream of liquids, gases, or fumes into the atmosphere. The passage of liquids, gases, or fumes is caused by mechanical means such as compressors or vacuum-producing systems or by process-related means such as evaporation produced by heating and not caused by tank loading and unloading (working losses) or by natural means such as diurnal temperature changes.

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